University of Chicago among Six Centers Sharing $540 Million for Cancer Study

CHICAGO — The cancer researchers at the University of Chicago are presented with $90 million as a work aid. The donation was announced at the Ludwig Center on Monday. It’s part of a $540 million contribution from Ludwig Cancer Research to six institutions.

Monday’s gift append to the foundation established in 2006 to create the Ludwig Centers at each institution, bringing Ludwig’s total funding at these institutions to $900 million. The global handout of Ludwig towards advancing cancer research is now $2.5 billion.

The gifted amount will be utilized for the research on metastasis by the University of Chicago researchers. Metastasis is the process of spreading up of cancer cells from a primary tumor to other parts of the body. Harvard’s Ludwig researchers are looking for reasons of development of cancer cells’ resistance to once-successful treatments, said Joan Brugge, the co-director of Harvard Ludwig’s Center.

There are six other recipients in the list, Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Stanford University. The six institutes will be sharing a $540 million grant for cancer research.

$90 million will be given in new grants from the fund, that brings the total bequest to each institution to $150 million, said Ed McDermott, president and chief executive officer of New York-based Ludwig Cancer Research, in a press conference.

The funds were established by late real estate magnate Daniel K. Ludwig.